NOTEBOOK (PDF)
This week will cross over the halfway point in the league schedule, as the top four teams in the standings are separated by just three games in the loss column. UNI (9-0 MVC) sits alone atop the MVC standings, while Illinois State sits one game behind the first place Panthers in the loss column.
Bradley holds onto third place in the conference standings at 6-2, claiming a one-game lead over fourth place Valparaiso (5-3 MVC). Drake (5-4 MVC) and Missouri State (4-4 MVC) currently occupy the fifth and sixth spots in the standings.
Perfection in League Play
UNI remains unbeaten in MVC action after another perfect week of league play, sitting at 9-0. The last time UNI opened MVC play 9-0, they went on to finish 18-0 in league play in 2011, which was the program’s third straight 18-0 MVC campaign. The Panthers have only dropped five sets in league play, posting a 27-5 mark in conference sets.
Redbirds Keeping Pace
Illinois State is currently alone in second place in the conference standings with a 7-1 mark, suffering its lone loss in league play to unbeaten UNI. Illinois State’s start to league play matches its best since 2014, when the Redbirds won the MVC outright with an 18-0 record.
On A Roll
Bradley took over sole possession of third-place in the MVC standings with a pair of wins over the weekend. The Braves have their most overall wins since 2005 (16) and have tied their highest win total since closing the 2002 season with a 19-12 record. The last time Bradley won at least six Valley games was 2013. The Braves have won six MVC contests in the first half of the league schedule for the first time since 2005 and just the fifth time since the Valley has had an 18-match regular-season schedule (1996). The only season in which Bradley won at least seven matches in the first half of Valley play was 1999 (7-2), during a season in which the Braves tied for second in the league standings at 14-4.
NCAA RPI Report
The latest edition of the NCAA RPI report has been released and The Valley has three teams featured in the top-60. UNI leads the league at No. 22, while Illinois State (No. 47), and Valparaiso (No. 60) are also among the nation’s top-60. Four other teams rank in the Top 120 (Drake, Bradley, Missouri State and Loyola). As a conference, The Valley ranks eighth among 32 conferences.
Totally Tested
UNI’s RPI sits No. 22 this week. The Panthers are one of only nine teams nationally to have seven matches against teams ranked in the Top 25 of the RPI, joining Stanford, Illinois, USC, Texas, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Creighton and Oregon. UNI is also one of only 20 teams nationally to have at least two Top 25 RPI wins. UNI’s schedule is rated as the 14th toughest nationally.
Stokes Moving On Up
On Friday, Missouri State’s 20th consecutive October victory also served as the 503rd in Melissa Stokes’s career, tying her with former UNI coach Iradge Ahrabi-Fard for second all-time in total wins among MVC coaches.Stokes can move into second place all by herself with a win over Bradley on Friday.
All-Time MVC Coaches - Wins
Coach, School (Years) W-L-T
1. Linda Dollar, Missouri State (1972-95) 758-266-21
2. Iradge Ahrabi-Fard, UNI (1981-96;98-00) 503-142-4
Melissa Stokes, Missouri St. (1996-present) 503-238
4. Bobbi Petersen, UNI (1997; 01-present) 477-147
AVCA Top-25
UNI continues to receive votes in this week’s AVCA Top 25 poll. The Panthers are receiving 55 points in the poll and sit 26th overall entering this week’s action. The Panthers have a showdown with No. 18 ranked Marquette Sunday in Cedar Falls.
Exclusive Company
The Missouri Valley Conference has a national-best three players currently in the 1,000 kill/1,000 dig club. Evansville’s Mildrelis Rodriguez became the third active player to join the club. Two other leagues currently have multiple players in the club (American & Summit). As of Oct. 15, only 13 NCAA Division I players are in the 1,000 kill/1,000 dig club.
MVC players in 1,000 Kill/1,000 Dig Club:
Mildrelis Rodriguez, Evansville
Allison Ketcham, Valparaiso
Katherine Carlson, Valparaiso
This week's Missouri Valley Conference Players of the Week are UNI's Karlie Taylor, Illinois State's Courtney Pence and Bradley's Hannah Thompson.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Karlie Taylor, Jr., OH, UNI
UNI’s Karlie Taylor recorded 61 kills and 42 digs in the Panthers three victories over Evansville, Southern Illinois, and Missouri State last week. During the Monday match against Evansville Taylor recorded 20 kills and an attack percentage of .447. Defensively the junior outside hitter added eight digs and a block assist. Friday, at Southern Illinois, Taylor finished with 25 kills, one assist, a .442 attack percentage and 15 digs. Taylor finished the week against Missouri State with 16 kills and a service ace to go along with her 19 digs, one solo block and four block assists. Taylor averaged 5.08 kills/set, 3.50 digs per/set and 5.46 points/set during the week.
Other Notable Performances: Sara Maddox (BRAD); Cathryn Cheek (DU); Rachel Tam (UE); Stef Jankiewicz (ILS); Quinn Spieker (LUC); Laynie Dake (MSU); Patience Brown (SIU)
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Courtney Pence, Sr., L, Illinois State
Pence helped pace a strong defensive effort by the Redbirds, as Illinois State held its two opponents for a combined .150 hitting percentage. She collected a match-high 19 and 21 digs against Loyola and Valparaiso as Illinois State took sole possession of second place in the MVC standings. Pence averaged 5.71 digs per set in just seven sets played this weekend to improve her season digs per set average to 5.68, which ranks among the top-15 in the nation. Pence also helped set up an offense that hit .254 against the Crusaders on Friday night, contributing a season-high seven assists. Against Loyola, Pence continued to make an impact, serving up a season-high five aces, to contribute a season-high five points in the match as a libero.
Other Notable Performances: Hannah Thompson (BRAD); Kylee Macke (DU); Alex Nunez (LUC); MacKenzie Irwin (MSU); Kendyl Sorge (UNI); Keera Clarke (SIU)
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK:
Hannah Thompson, Fr., OH, Bradley
Thompson averaged 2.86 kills per set and hit .262 in a pair of home wins. The outside hitter also averaged a team-best 5.71 digs per set, 0.29 aces and 0.57 blocks per set as she helped Bradley move up into third in The Valley standings. Thompson opened the week with her team-best 10th double-double of the year, collecting 12 kills, two aces and 18 digs in a four-set victory against Loyola. She capped the week with eight kills, match-high 22 digs and season-best four blocks in a sweep of Valparaiso. Thompson pushed her season dig total into sixth among Bradley freshman marks and now owns the 12th-best kill total by a Bradley frosh.
Other Notable Performances: Alondra Vazquez (UE); Marissa Stockman (ILS); Lauren Caprini (LUC); Chloe Rear (MSU); Baylee Petersen (UNI)